The Creative Life: Why Making Photos is an Act of Creation
Creative life taking photos of fisherman at sunrise at Taungthaman Lake, Myanmar.
Did my eyes deceive me, or were these two figures, emerging from the mist, actually walking on water? It was a site to behold and a memory from my travels I won’t easily forget.
Photographers are able to lead a creative life by participating in creation through the production of beautiful, life affirming images. Making photos is, therefore, an act of creation.
Let’s explore this concept through a photo I made, long ago, in rural Myanmar with a medium format film camera.
Taking Photos and Living A Creative Life
I made the photo way back in December 1999, from U Bein Bridge near the town of Amarapura near Mandalay in Myanmar (Burma).
I made the photo, at sunrise, as the sun rose through the mist.
The two people in the water are fishermen tending to their nets.
They're wading through very shallow water which, upon first impression, might provide the illusion that they may, actually, be walking on water.
That's very much how it looked through my camera's viewfinder when I made the image with the following kit:
Hasselblad 503CWi medium format camera
Hasselblad 150 mm f/4 Sonnar lens
Kodak Portra 160VC Professional film
The secret to being able to make pictures like this is underpinned by two simple factors: effort and being open minded.
I undertook the trip to Myanmar, and travelled through as much of the country as I was able to, given government restrictions and the limits imposed by time and financial constraints.
Part of my travel schedule for this trip included a few days in the former capital of Mandalay, the best part of which included day trips to temples within easy reach of town.
But to actually reach U Bein Bridge in time for sunrise you first have to get up, get out of Myanmar, which has a population of almost one million people, and drive for another 30 minutes or more.
Now that’s not too bad, particularly if you’re not driving, but it requires effort. And there’s no guarantee of a successful outcome, when you’re hoping for a glorious sunrise.
In fact, it was the warm sunrise light, illuminating the low lying mist surrounding the two local fisherman that made the composition so interesting.
Not to mention the almost unbelievable sight of the two men seemingly walking on water.
Actually, when I arrived, most of the lake was covered my mist.
I walked along the bridge, making a few pics on the way, prior to setting up my camera on a tripod and, as the mist began to clear, trusting my intuition and waiting for something interesting to emerge through the mist.
I’d like to think it did, which is a reward for an open minded approach to my photography and, by extension, to living a creative life.
Everyday Miracles and the Creative Life
Many say that life is a miracle. I believe that, by living the life of the artist, you add to the miracle that is life.
While we tend to associate the word miracle with religion and important characters in the history of various religions, the word itself can also be used to explain that which is unexplainable.
Assigning responsibility for such events to an all knowing, all-powerful creator-being is not an unreasonable approach to take.
I have no issue with that concept, even in our contemporary world.
The problem, I believe, is when politics and power become so deeply immeshed into various teachings and doctrines that they become synonymous with the religion in question.
While I have an interest in world religions, as a fundamental component of culture, I do not personally subscribe to any one message or faith.
What’s more, while I admire religious devotion I abhor dogma.
My desire is for a multi-faceted approach to how we seek to understand and express that which is eternal.
Given the profound nature of duality in our world, I believe there should be room for science and faith, ritual and experience, male and female in how we approach our understanding of existence.
I encourage pluralism and debate and I dream of a society where the wars we engage in are against the tyranny of oppression; corruption, poverty and disease; and our own innate negativity.
Photography and The Creative Path
We are not god’s. However, I believe our choices, attitudes and endeavors can, at their best, be described as god-like.
It’s about intent and energy. The purer the intent and the more focused the energy, the closer we put ourselves to the source.
Creativity is taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. Through our photography, each of us has the choice to participate in the ongoing mystery that is creation.
Just Travel and Keep Taking Photos
There were very few tourists entering Myanmar back in 1999. Nonetheless, I had a fantastic time and I hope to revisit again.
Myanmar is a very beautiful country with literally thousands of (mostly Buddhist) religious sites, lovely landscapes and wonderfully photogenic people.
While life is hard, we have so many opportunities to make choices that enhance our lives and have a positive impact on others.
One thing I know for sure is that the more photos I create the better I feel and the more my mission in life, to live a purpose driven and meaning rich life, is affirmed.
And it feels great to be on a creative path. The one, deep down, you know you’re meant to be on.
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